Texas BBQ Style Beef Brisket

1- whole untrimmed brisket (they can be from 10 to 14 pounds)

¼ cup of worcestershire sauce

1 ½ to 2 cups of TEXAS BBQ Old #2 Brisket Rub

Texas BBQ Brisket Sauce

TIP: The colder the meat is when you get it on the smoker the better your smoke ring will be. So take the brisket out of the frig and prepare it right away and put it on the smoker immediately after the rub has been applied. If you wish to let the rub sit on the brisket for several hours then you need to cover it in foil and place it back in the frig until you are ready to get it on the pit.

First, never trim a brisket. You want the fat on the meat while it is smoking. The brisket will have 1 side that is covered with fat and the other side with just a little fat. Start with the fat side and shake worcestershire sauce on it and rub it with your hands all over the fat side of the brisket (including the sides and ends). Next take a handful of TEXAS BBQ RUB and rub it over the fat side of the brisket right on top of the worcestershire sauce. Apply the rub fairly thin on the fat side of the brisket. Remember this piece of meat is big and is going to be cooking for quite a while. Flip the brisket over and repeat the worcestershire sauce and rub routine on the other side of the brisket. Since this is the side that will cook up on the pit apply about 1 ½ handfuls of rub on this side. You will notice that the rub has started to turn into a paste. This is what you want to see. If it is not then add a little more worcestershire. That is it, it is ready to cook.

Use the indirect method of cooking, use a great tasting wood flavor mesquite is traditional (but hickory works well too) and place the brisket, fat side down on the rack in the cooker. Point the thick side of the brisket toward the heat source. Cook as follows:

200 degrees - Cook for a total of 12 to 16 hours

225 degrees - Cook for a total of 10 to 12 hours

Alternatively you can cook smaller briskets about 6-7 hours on the smoker then finish overnight on 200 degrees in the oven.

The brisket will be done when a food thermometer reads 195 degrees internal meat temp and is usually done before the above cooking times but you need to cook it long and slow. The longer it cooks the more tender it gets so if you want to take the brisket to an internal meat temp of 205 degrees that is fine.

TIP: Never cook at above 250 degrees as this will boil the fat out of the center of the meat.

OK now for the SECRET that will make your brisket as tender as any meat you have ever eaten. About 2/3 of the way through the cooking of the brisket you are going to wrap the brisket in aluminum foil. Double wrap in foil. Tear off about 2 pieces of heavy duty foil approx. 24 inches to 30 inches long. Take the brisket off of the cooker (don't poke it with a fork or anything else as you let out great juices) I use heavy rubber gloves to handle all of my meat with. The brisket is going to be real hot so be careful. Place the brisket on the first sheet of foil. Fold up the edges of the foil to keep the sauce we are getting ready to add from getting everywhere. Take about 1 - 1 ½ cups of the brisket sauce and pour over the brisket (you should still be fat side down). Now wrap it in the first piece of foil, then wrap another piece around that. Place it back on the pit, fat side down again. Finish cooking. When you are ready to take off the grill be real careful as you might tear the foil and the sauce and juices of the meat can get on you and they will be hot.

Take the brisket in and let it rest (cool down) at least 1 to 2 hours. I take my knife and scrape off the fat on the top of the brisket and then cut into ¼ inch pieces against the grain. The fat end of the brisket has more fat than the thin end. With a little practice you will learn how to carve off the fat before slicing. If there is a layer of fat in the middle the brisket can be separated and it can be scraped off.

A brisket will lose approx. 30% of its weight during cooking. You can figure approx. ½ pound of meat per person. And the leftovers (I hope you have some) are even better the day after you cook. Make a brisket sandwich with cold brisket or heat it back up by wrapping it in foil and heating it at a low temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Texas BBQ (with only slight modifications)

Urban Cowgill 2010